


Something Botsford This Way Comes

by kgmps2



Category: WordGirl
Genre: Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-14
Updated: 2014-08-03
Packaged: 2018-01-24 17:06:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1612748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kgmps2/pseuds/kgmps2
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Tobey discovers Becky's rather extensive collection of books about villains and heroes, including a copy of the Villain Society Rulebook, his already-present suspicions are raised. In an attempt to cover up, she accidentally tells him she's planning to join the Villain Society.<br/>She manages to scrape by a few meetings, but soon enough people notice she hasn't actually committed any crimes. Reluctantly, she begins acting the part of the villain. Her plans to resign after a few weeks are foiled when the other villains (especially higher-ups) notice she never gets caught by WordGirl.…</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Inadvertent Recruitment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> content warning(s) for this chapter:  
> emetophobia

It was the first day of spring break, and Becky, TJ, and Bob were making the most of it.

"Oh, _come_ on!" groaned TJ as Pretty Princess swung her staff, weakening his dragon significantly with her Dazzling Stardust energy attack.

"What? It's not  _my_ fault you never save up enough Energy Points for the Mega Fireball!"

"Wait, what Mega Fireball?"

"It's the Crimson Dragon's signature attack! Remember that Season Four episode where Pretty Princess had to work with him to stop Count Cloudy's Ice Beam–– hey, watch it, Bob!"

Bob had taken advantage of Becky's temporary distraction to knock Pretty Princess over. His character, Magic Pony, didn't have any energy attacks, but he was the strongest physically in the game. He squeaked unapologetically, gleefully charging towards TJ's dragon.

Just then, the doorbell rang, and Becky paused the game. Ignoring TJ's and Bob's protests, she stood up and opened the door.

"Uh… hello there, Mrs. MacCallister…"

"Good afternoon, Becky," said the tall, broad woman cheerfully. "Is your mother available?"

Becky shot a glance at the slouching preteen boy standing behind his mother before nodding and turning around, shouting up the stairs.

"Mom! It's Mrs. MacCallister!"

Mrs. Botsford came down the stairs quickly, holding a pair of scissors and a page from the newspaper.

"Oh, Claire! It's nice to see you! I see you've brought your son."

"Yes, I don't want him in his room all through the break. You  _know_ how he gets."

Becky laughed quietly. Yes, she did know how he was whenever he was able to get alone with his robots. Both adults looked at her with raised eyebrows, and she nervously stammered out an excuse about having thought of something funny. The mothers shrugged and resumed their conversation, but Becky saw that Tobey had looked up at her and hadn't stopped.

 _Great. I guess I should prepare for another_ thrilling _"game" of his._

After a few minutes of idle chit-chat with Mrs. Botsford, Mrs. MacCallister left.

"Well," began Mrs. Botsford, pointing at the couch where TJ and Bob were still sitting (and glaring daggers at Becky), "do you want to play with the kids? We've got an extra controller."

And soon enough, the four of them were sitting on the couch, with Tobey playing as Count Cloudy. He was surprisingly good, making liberal use of evasion while his Energy Point meter climbed high enough to deliver a Storm Blast. He cackled as he leapt up to a high platform and targeted the other three with his powerful attack. It knocked out Pretty Princess, who had the second-fewest Health Points, and significantly weakened both Crimson Dragon and Magic Pony. But with nearly all his Energy Points expended, he was vulnerable for several minutes, allowing TJ and Bob to team up and knock him out. There  _were_  disadvantages to having the fewest Health Points of any character in the game, after all. After that, TJ and Bob fought each other.

Becky didn't get to find out who won, however, as she heard a distant alarm just as Tobey got knocked out.

"Uh… I need to use… the bathroom…" she stammered before dashing down the hallway to climb out the window.

* * *

Several minutes passed, and Tobey noticed that Becky had been gone for a good bit longer than one would expect for a simple bathroom break. Of course, he knew  _exactly_ where she had gone… well, not exactly, of course, but he'd guessed the second she stood up that she was off to fight crime. Not wanting to draw attention to this, he stood up as well.

"Mrs. Botsford?" he called innocently. "I need to use the bathroom, but Becky's in it. Do you have another one I may use?"

"Yeah! It's upstairs! Down the hall, past Becky and TJ's rooms."

"Thank you!"

 _That was easy_ , he thought to himself. He actually liked Mrs. Botsford quite a bit, though he didn't know why she trusted him so much. After all, he'd stood right under her nose and threatened to destroy her house. And yet she didn't seem to have any qualms about having him in her home. Playing video games with her children. Using her bathrooms.

Of course, he didn't actually  _need_ to use the bathroom, but it was a relatively foolproof excuse. (He wondered why Becky didn't use it more often. Honestly.) He climbed the stairs and started down the hallway. Mrs. Botsford had said Becky first, so he decided it was likely hers was closer.

And he was right. The first door he came to had a picture of Violet and Becky. He smiled, then pushed the slightly-ajar door open.

It was a fairly typical room. The first thing he could see was that it was noticeably smaller than his. Not by much, but it was still visible. He cast his eyes about for something suspicious… ideally something with WordGirl's signature emblem.

And then he saw something that, though it wasn't what he was looking for, definitely could work. The bottom shelf of her overstuffed bookshelf. He stooped over, reading the titles:  _Superheroes and You: A Practical Guide_.  _Villainy 101 or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Crime_. _Super Suited: Fashionable Costumes for Heroes and Villains_. And the book that had caught his eye in the first place, the Villain Society Rulebook. Though it was less dog-eared than his own copy, it was still clearly well-read. He reached forward to slide it from the shelf when he heard the door swing shut.

"Tobey, what are you doing in my room?"

* * *

She'd gotten back home from a fairly standard fight with Chuck the Evil Sandwich Making Guy only smelling  _slightly_ like mustard. A fairly impressive accomplishment, considering she'd been fighting solo and had been able to wrap it up (heh) in under ten minutes. But she still knew she'd be in a rush when she got home. Though she didn't expect her  _family_ to be suspicious at all, (heck, TJ might not even notice she had left) she knew her…  _guest_ would be.

When she'd passed the front window, her suspicions had been confirmed. There had been three people at the couch when she'd left, but now there were only two. After climbing in through the ground-floor bathroom window, she went "casually" up to ask her mom where Tobey was.

And that was when she saw him snooping around in her bedroom. She sighed quietly and stepped forward, surprised he was so engrossed in his task that he didn't even see her. But he jumped satisfyingly high when she closed the door a little more loudly than was needful.

"Tobey, what are you doing in my room?"

He grabbed the book he'd been reaching for before standing up, folding his arms and raising his head defensively.

"This was lying around, and your brother didn't recognize it. So I decided to retu–"

"You're an even worse liar than I am." She didn't even bother letting him finish the flimsy story.

Maybe that was a mistake. He grinned wickedly, and she couldn't help but frown.

"That may be so, Miss Botsford, but I can't help but wonder… why is the Villain Society Rulebook in your room? Surely one of…  _your type_ … wouldn't need to know the rules of committing crime in this city."

She knew exactly what he was insinuating, and she didn't like it one bit. She scowled, trying to think of a snappy response.

"I was just curious, that's all. So I went to the library, and–"

"This isn't a library book,  _Becky_." He started to open it, and Becky felt her stomach drop. She'd been foolish enough to write  _This book is the property of WordGirl_ _★_ on the inside cover. She quickly reached forward, grabbing it out of his hands.

"Okay, fine, it's my book. Why do you want to know all this stuff?"

"I think you know why, Becky. Even though I'm certain you're WordGirl, you've managed to tamper with the situations I've set up enough that I haven't been able to come up with conclusive evidence."

"An interest in superheroes and -villains isn't exactly  _conclusive_ , Tobey. I'm sure there are at least five other kids in our class who own the exact same books." _  
_

"I still have the pictures, you know," he grumbled.

"Well, that's just a coincidence. After all, I've only got those books because I'm planning to join the Villain Society!"

Wait, what? She hadn't been planning to say that. It had just… come out. Like word vomit. She clapped a hand comically to her mouth.

Her words seemed to ring in the air for several seconds as the two stared at each other. If there was any plus side to that… outburst, it seemed she'd completely thrown Tobey for a loop. His mouth hung agape, and his glasses had even slid down to nearly the end of his nose.

"You… what?" he finally said. His voice shook, and had no traces of his "accent." She'd only ever heard him talk like that when his mother showed up.

"I…"

Her thoughts were racing faster than they did even when she was performing a precision task at super speed, and her heart pounded like she was in the middle of an intense battle. She only needed a moment's pause to deliver her lie in a voice of feigned calm.

"I'm planning to join the Villain Society. I've heard that the meetings are a real blast, and you get to rub elbows with the real high-ups. Besides, your constant bedevilment has just been so invasive and annoying, and I figured… what better way to settle that I'm  _not_  WordGirl once and for all than to become an official villain?"

She could see he was still skeptical… well, what else could she do? There was always baseless flattery… 

Giving him a wide smile, she continued. 

"Besides, you're so  _smart_ and  _devious_ … you're a real inspiration, you know. I mean, if a kid like you can be a high-ranking villain, why not me?"

He returned her smile, trying to hide the blush that was rising to his cheeks. Even if he still didn't believe her, he was thrown enough that he didn't press further.

"In return for you not telling my parents I'm a prospective villain, I won't mention that you were trespassing in my room. Deal?"

He put out his hand to shake. "Deal."

She carefully shelved the rulebook, then went to open the door.

"By the way, see you at the meeting on Thursday," he said with a grin. "Wouldn't want to miss your induction."

"Ha ha, yeah, that'd be a disaster!"

What in the world had she gotten herself into?


	2. First Meeting

The first thing Becky could say about the meeting was that, while the venue was nice, the chairs certainly left something to be desired. She shifted uncomfortably in her front-row seat as Lady Redundant Woman talked about business and budgeting and dues. Becky thought she noticed Mr. Big three rows back. His arms were folded and he had a sour expression on his face.

 _That's right. Villain Society officials are elected. I wonder why they put the one who's practically_ guaranteed _to take the longest in charge of the most_ boring _part of the meeting._

She then remembered Captain Tangent and was thankful. Very, very thankful.

Nervously, she glanced around at the other villains filling the meeting hall. Tobey was next to her, and the Coach was on her other side. In fact, the front row seemed to be mainly composed of the shortest villains. It seemed… oddly fair, actually. The tallest all seemed to be sitting in the back, and as far as Becky could tell, everyone had a clear view of the podium. There also appeared to be an arrangement with respect to status, with main villains sitting in the center of the row and lower-ranking members being near the edges. Becky was only front and center because this was her very first meeting. She knew she'd be seated near the edge with the other third-stringers next time.

Speaking of which, she shuffled through the packet of papers she'd received. Regulations, rules, a schedule of upcoming events… aha! The meeting schedule! With a grin, she pulled the sheet out and–

"Shhhhh!"

Tobey was glaring at her, a finger pressed to his lips.

_Wow, rude much?_

But she did tuck her head down, embarrassed. She hoped she hadn't been too much of an interruption.

Wait, why was she caring? Weren't villains  _supposed_ to be rude?

No, she was deluding herself. She knew the answer as well as anyone else in the room: villains could be rude, mean, even downright nasty, but not to other villains. Even if there wasn't any rule against being unpleasant to fellow villains (it stopped at targeting villains with actual villainy), there was a sort of honor among thieves. A camaraderie, even. She had to admire that sort of dedication to the group. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad in the villain society, right?

Ha. Ha ha.

* * *

She hadn't realized  _just_  how many villains were part of the society until she stood in front of them, hand over her heart as she recited the oath that Granny May dictated to her. Though she normally perceived herself as a flawless orator, she found herself stumbling, tongue-tied, over even the most simple of phrases in the short motto. How embarrassing.

She could feel the appraising gazes of all her most formidable foes turn critical, and it made her squirm. She wasn't used to this much judgment that wasn't strictly positive.

After the painful induction ceremony (was it really under three minutes?), she hurried back to her seat, trying to avoid everyone's stares. She wasn't able to pay attention to the rest of the meeting, her mind anxiously buzzing until the moment Ms. Question announced the meeting was adjourned.

* * *

Later, at the snack table, Becky stood around with Tobey and Victoria. Nobody really wanted to talk to the younger villains, and besides, a good number of the villains present held a grudge against Victoria for stealing their goodies.

"Wow, Beckface." Victoria stuck a celery stick into her mouth with pretentious daintiness. Becky cringed at the nickname that should have died six months ago. "There are already four minors here. Soon enough it'll be like a club or something."

"I most sincerely hope not," grumbled Tobey.

"What's wrong? Don't want villainy to go mainstream?"

"I don't really think it's that," said Becky. "I mean, if  _everyone_ became a villain, that'd be an unsustainable situation, wouldn't it?"

"You're one to talk about what would happen if  _everyone_ became a villain," said Victoria, snickering. Tobey joined in the laughter.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, nothing." Victoria reached over for a roll as she spoke. "It's just… you're the  _last_ person  _anyone_ in this town would expect to want to be a villain."

"Wait, why's that?"

Maybe she shouldn't have asked that question. Tobey had a most unpleasant knowing smirk on his face, and she didn't know how to steer the conversation away from these dangerous waters.

Luckily, just as he was opening his mouth, Victoria derailed the subject for her.

"Well, your mom's the DA, right? I've gotta admit, you've got some guts. Committing crimes right under  _her_ nose? That'd be like if you lived with WordGirl or something."

"Yeah, ha ha!" Becky laughed unnecessarily loudly, drawing some looks from Nocan and the Whammer, but Tobey didn't seem interested in grilling her further.

* * *

Since the meeting had just ended, nobody committed any crimes for the rest of the day. (There was a 24-hour grace period after the biweekly meetings for the sake of any new experimental alliances.) This was very good news for Becky, and she took an unusually leisurely walk home, not even bothering to use her super speed. She was home just in time for dinner, too, and her parents didn't even question where she'd been.

Maybe this whole villainy thing really wouldn't be half-bad after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> by the way, this takes place post-Bunny Lovers. if you haven't watched that episode, exercise caution!


	3. Cereal Box

"Oh, I didn't know you went to the grocery store!"

Mrs. Botsford had just walked into the kitchen and seen the box of cereal on the table. Becky nearly dropped her book. In her carelessness, she'd left it there, forgetting even to put it away properly.

"Uh… yeah! I was on my way home from school and just had an irresistible craving for some Snappy Snaps!"

Mrs. Botsford checked the pantry. Sure enough, a still-open box of Snappy Snaps (TJ must have simply shoved it into the pantry before leaving to catch the bus this morning) was sitting on the shelf.

"We weren't even out, dear…"

"Whoops! Sorry about that. I wasn't sure if we were or not, and didn't want to walk home and then all the way back to the grocery store."

Mrs. Botsford laughed and went into the living room, kissing Becky on the head.

"It's all right, sweetie. It's better to have an extra box than to not have a box in the morning when we're eating breakfast, after all."

* * *

It had been just over a month since Becky's first Villain Society meeting, and she was almost hoping to be able to just quit going to meetings and fade into obscurity. She had already started planning her "well, I guess I just didn't have the stuff" speech that she'd give to dodge Victoria's and Tobey's questions when she entered the third biweekly meeting on an overcast Thursday afternoon.

She tried to slink into the back row, far away from the gaze of whoever was at the podium (she wouldn't have trouble hearing them anyway) when, to her surprise, someone else sat next to her: Granny May.

"Uh…" she began.

"Hello, dear," said the elderly woman. "May I have a quick word with you in private before the meeting begins?"

"Um, sure!" It was still so odd to be interacting normally with these villains. Her instincts still screamed that she should be _fighting_ these people, not chatting amicably about villainy! She could feel herself tensing to dodge yarn attacks already.

"Good, good. Come walk with me."

Becky stood up nervously, following Granny May. She smelled faintly of perfume… not the thick, suffocating fog of her weapons-grade battle perfume, but something altogether more pleasant. It was almost like lilac, really.

"How have you been enjoying the society?"

"It's fine. The food's nice, everyone's been really polite… to be honest, it's unusual having adults treat me like this. Like an associate, I mean." This wasn't a lie. Even though the respect as an equal wasn't new, the villains tended to keep her at a safe distance, even when they interacted on ostensibly relaxed terms. "I could get used to it."

"I'm glad you feel so welcomed." This sincerity was more than a little disarming. It really didn't seem like she was scheming or manipulating.

_I guess she doesn't_ have _to. She already thinks I'm on her side._

Granny continued. "Now, I'm not trying to be judgmental, but do you have any longstanding plans going?"

"Um… no, not really. Why?"

"As I said, I'm not judging you here, but generally, most members of our society have either a long-term plan in the works or a couple of crimes under their belts by now. Is something wrong, dearie?"

"Oh… um…"

Great, how was she supposed to wriggle her way out of  _this_ one? She looked down at the ground, biting her lip.

To her surprise, Granny May put a hand on her shoulder.

"Oh, honey, I'm not trying to upset you. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm thinking your parents and friends don't know about this?"

Becky shook her head.

"Oh, that's perfectly understandable. You're used to everyone seeing you as a good girl, aren't you?"

Becky nodded. This was bizarrely comforting.

"Well, that doesn't have to change at all! I mean, look at me. I've done time on multiple occasions, and my criminal record is no secret. But a little bit of charm, and everyone loves me all over again!" The old woman laughed heartily for several seconds before breaking down into a small coughing fit.

"Uh…"

"Don't worry, dear, I'll be all right."

And sure enough, she was.

"Anyway, just because you're a villain now doesn't mean you're a bad person! You don't need to be afraid of what anyone thinks of you, got it?"

"Yeah…" Becky gave Granny May a small smile.

"Tell you what… how would you like it if we had a nice team-up? A good way to get going without having to jump right into the deep end."

Becky didn't have to think for long to know that a team-up would be a bad idea. When WordGirl never showed up (or when she "conveniently" disappeared just as WordGirl was arriving),  _everyone_ would be suspicious. But how would she politely decline this…?

"Um… actually, I've had an idea for a nice… little crime. A warm-up. Maybe some other time, though. After I've established myself as a villain?"

Granny laughed again, slapping her on the back. "That's the spirit! You're a  _smart_ one. Yes, it would most definitely be best for you to get known in your own right  _before_ you start teaming up with everyone!"

Becky's smile widened, and she laughed a little as well. Even though all these compliments felt really,  _really_ weird, considering who was giving them, they still seemed so genuine.

"Thanks, Granny May. I'll see you later!"

* * *

And that was how she'd found herself standing in the cereal isle of the grocery store, feeling like she was on a very unstable precipice. Even though she  _knew_ the whole "slippery slope" thing was a fallacy, she didn't know if she'd be able to stop herself once she began engaging in actual villainy. She knew from experience how easy it was to give in to acting in a morally debased manner if she was having fun.

Steeling herself, she reached out for the brightly-colored box of cereal. The flashiness of the packaging made her feel like vomiting. 

_Come on, this will be just like_ buying _it. You're not sticking anyone up, nobody's gonna suspect you. Just take the box, and you'll be done._

She pulled her hand away before actually touching the box, as if it was a hot stove. This was still all so  _wrong_ , though. She couldn't ignore that she was  _breaking a law_. Faces flashed into her mind – the grocery store manager, her mother, Huggy. Oh, Huggy. He didn't know about this either. She'd said she was staying after school to help organize the library, and he was free to run on home. She knew he'd probably be the first to find out about this, though.

She stood there for several more seconds, becoming aware of grocery carts rolling through the isles surrounding her. She tried to ignore the watchful eyes of all the cartoon characters emblazoned on the various brands of cereal.

_Nobody's watching you. It's all in your head._

Another deep stalling breath. A woman and her toddler daughter walked right past her. They must have assumed she was deciding what kind of cereal to take.

_It's now or never._

And she finally reached forward and grabbed the cereal box faster than a blinking eye, speeding out of the grocery store in the same breath. She didn't slow down to a normal speed until she was well out of the parking lot. She still walked hurriedly, clutching the Snappy Snaps close to her chest and trying not to look suspicious.

_See, that wasn't so hard. Congratulations. Your first real crime._


	4. Thinking Like a Villain

Becky was staring at the worn-out copy of  _Princess Triana and the Froggy Catastrophe_ (her favorite  _Princess Triana_ book and the one that had introduced her to the series), but she hadn't read a single word in the time that had passed since she'd picked it up to distract herself nearly an hour ago. Her thoughts were still spinning around that box of Snappy Snaps. Nobody else knew about it so far, not even the people at the Villain Society.

In fact, she had half a mind to speed right back to the grocery store and return it. Then she'd just… stop going to Villain Society meetings altogether, not even bothering with an excuse. She could deal with the fallout from Tobey – when  _hadn't_ she been able to do that?

Everything could end so  _simply_. She would go down in the Villain Society annals as just another burnout who didn't have the guts for crime in Fair City. Nobody could blame her for backing out of that inevitable confrontation with WordGirl. After all, WordGirl was the most formidable opponent any villain would face. You didn't exactly have to be a coward to not look forward to that.

Her bedroom door swung open, and Bob shuffled in. He barely waved at her, yawning around an exhausted squeak of _goodnight_.

"Night, Huggy," she said with a smile. He didn't respond, only flopping onto his monkey bed. Becky turned off the light out of courtesy and stared at her signed Glow-in-the-Dark WordGirl Official Watch™ that TJ had given to her after he got a better one. After five minutes, she judged it safe to sneak out.

She quietly pulled the door open, hovering silently down the hall until she reached the staircase, which she descended rapidly and equally silently. She went to the kitchen, where the phone was located, and picked up the handset, making her way to the bathroom. Feeling herself go numb, she quickly dialed the number and held the phone to her ear. She was nervous about this, but she knew it had to be done.

Finally, she head the click of the other end picking up the phone.

"Hello? I'm calling because I'd like to report a crime."

* * *

"Hmm? Becky, is this you?"

It was Granny May.

"Uh… yeah. Sorry, did I wake you?"

"No, no, honey, I'm fine. I  _was_ about to go to bed, but trust me, that can wait."

"Oh. Well, if you say so."

Granny May chuckled.

"Oh, you're so sensitive, dearie. Congratulations on your first crime, by the way. Now tell me, how did it go?"

"Um… I dunno. I mean, I got away, but it wasn't really big."

"Oh?"

"I… well, I stole a box of Snappy Snaps. Nobody even saw me."

"Well… ahem… that's certainly a  _start_ , isn't it…" Becky could tell she was holding back laughter.

"Oh, come on! You know it's a terrible crime. I mean, shoplifting? It isn't even close to stuff you do, like stealing ancient candy dishes, or conning everyone into letting you get boatloads of free stuff with sham coupons, or tricking innocent citizens into driving your getaway vehicles…"

"Of course, but do you honestly think  _my_ first attempts were any better?"

"Yes."

"Okay, fine, they probably were. Let's focus on the future now. Where do you plan to go from here?"

"Well, that's just the thing. I got so… so  _nervous_ about doing something tiny like taking one box of cereal! Doesn't that mean I don't have what it takes to commit serious crimes like armed robbery? If I can barely handle the grocery store, what will I do in the jewelry store?"

"Oh, don't worry about that, dearie. Reginald's a complete pushover. My granddaughter Lizzie could handle him… oh, she's a precious thing. She's turning four in the summer, you know."

"You know that's not what I meant."

"Yes, yes, I know. I was making a joke to cheer you up."

Becky laughed a little.

"See, you're getting the hang of it. Anyway, what was I about to tell you? Oh, right. Sometimes, you just need to get in the right mindset."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm sure you're smart enough to be a challenge to WordGirl. All you need to do is unlock that intelligence, and put it to good use. Tell me, dearie,  _why_ did you steal that box of Snappy Snaps?"

"Um… because I'm supposed to?"

"No, Becky, you're  _supposed_ to pay for the Snappy Snaps."

"You know what I meant… I needed to commit a crime to become a villain."

"And do you feel villainous?"

"Uh…"

"Do you feel like you've committed a crime?"

Becky groaned, putting her hand to her face.

"Yes! I mean, parents and teachers always tell you that a crime's a crime, no matter what it is. So even though it was just  _one_ little thing, I still broke the law." _  
_

"That sounds an awful lot like a technicality. Do you only want to be  _technically_ a villain? Because we in the Villain Society have a rank for that."

"I know, I know… Plain Old Mischief Maker."

"And do you really want to squander your potential on the very bottom rung?"

"No! But… I don't want to hurt people, either."

"Aha! Now we're getting somewhere. Tell me, Becky, can you name any villain who's done real, permanent damage to someone?"

"Um… Doctor Two-Brains. He used to be a nice scientist, and WordGirl's best friend, but now…" Becky sighed. "Now that old person is gone."

"Becky, I'm pretty sure he's perfectly happy being a villain. At least, his life is much more fulfilling."

"What?"

"Anyway, that's not the point. At least, it's not the point I want you to understand right now. Do you remember that nasty Miss Power?" _  
_

"Yes. What about her?"

"Miss Power actually  _hurt_ people. She may have been a bad person, but she wasn't a villain. All she was was a big bully."

"Wait, how wasn't she a villain? Just because she wasn't part of your society… uh, I mean, the Society… didn't mean she didn't do villainous things!"

"That's up for debate. I mean, WordGirl needs villains, but we all would have been better off if Miss Power had never set white-booted foot on this planet."

Becky snorted derisively.

"Oh, come on, WordGirl doesn't  _need_ villains. And villains don't need WordGirl."

"Becky, I don't think you're understanding th–"

"What do you mean I'm not understanding?! Villains commit crimes, and WordGirl stops them! What more is there to understand?"

She clamped a hand over her mouth, realizing how loud she'd gotten. Luckily, nobody in the house was stirring.

Granny May didn't seem to hear how distressed Becky was.

"Come now, can't you think of at least  _one_  villain who commits crimes specifically because WordGirl will take notice?"

Becky felt the sinking sensation that she was starting to understand Granny May's point.

"… Yes. But he's the exception, isn't he? I mean, he does it for… personal reasons, so…"

"And do you think villainy is strictly a business?"

Becky didn't say anything.

"Becky, the truth is that villainy is a game. WordGirl is on one side, and we are on the other."

_And I'm playing both sides of the field._

"Neither can function without the other, because otherwise the entire balance would be thrown off. Think about it. If you were WordGirl and everyone stopped committing crimes, how would you feel?"

"Hmm… well, at first I guess I'd be relieved. Like, I'd go from fighting villains almost every day to…  _not_. And I'd have so much more free time."

"And then what?"

"Well… I'd have to go back to having an ordinary life. Without any excitement. And like… well, WordGirl gets lots of recognition for fighting crime, but all I ever really get is high test scores. So I wouldn't be getting any acknowledgement anymore, and I guess my life would feel empty."

"Exactly."

"I… I guess I'd never thought of it that way." Though she'd appreciated the villains' presence in her life, especially the friendly banter, she'd never really seen them as more than thorns in her side.

"You know, Becky, I think I know your biggest problem. But lucky for you, it's also a strength."

"Oh?"

"You  _understand_ people. You can get in their heads. And trust me, that's a useful skill to have. Heaven knows I wouldn't have gotten this far without it. But your issue is that your understanding makes you worry too much about how people will feel. Because you're too sweet of a soul to want to hurt anyone."

"Um… thanks for the compliment, I guess."

"It's no problem. And don't misunderstand me – I'm not trying to say you should stop caring about people. But you  _should_ learn to relax."

"Okay, okay. So… all I should do about this crime situation is relax and have fun?"

"Exactly! And stop worrying about getting caught!"

"What? I thought that was what we're supposed to do."

"Well, you should try and get away with your crimes, yes. But remember, Becky: if your only special trait is that you always get away, what happens when you inevitably get caught by WordGirl?"

"You lose your shtick?"

"Bingo. Do you remember Steve McClean?"

"The 'clean getaway' guy?"

"Yes. Do you know what he was? A flash in the pan. He lost what made him special, because he got caught, and he couldn't boast his streak anymore. Now he just sort of shows up to Villain Society meetings and nobody cares enough to formally kick him out."

"So… what you're saying is a villain's  _real_ definition of success should include visibility?"

"You're a smart girl, Becky. I'm sure you'll go far."

"Thank you, Granny May."

"Thank  _you_ for calling, Becky. I enjoyed our chat."

"I… I did too. I'll let you go to bed, then."

"Goodnight, dearie."

"Goodnight."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the delay!


	5. Explanations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> since the Steve McClean episode happens at least two years after the beginning of the show ("I've been the top-ranked Villain of the Week for two years running!"), this fic takes place starting Spring Break of the year Becky, Tobey, and company are in seventh grade. TJ and his friends are going to be moving from the fourth grade to the fifth grade.

It was starting to be the ending stretch of the school year, and Becky was diligently working on some of the last homework she'd ever receive as a seventh-grader. She'd enjoyed this year quite a bit, and found it to be a refreshing change of pace from elementary school. She knew she wouldn't miss her history teacher, though. Blegh.

Meanwhile, TJ was acting like it was already summer. The TV blared as he lounged on the couch, eating ice cream straight from the carton. Bob was on the floor with a bowl of his own.

"Don't you have anything better to do?" Becky snapped.

"Nah, there isn't any homework due until Thursday."

She groaned. _Thursday_. But then she remembered the meeting  _last_ week… good, there wouldn't be anything this Thursday.

As she thought back to her most recent encounter with the Villain Society, she almost didn't hear TJ asking why it bothered her so much that he wasn't doing his homework.

* * *

She'd sat down towards the end of the second row five minutes before the scheduled meeting time as usual. She'd noticed in the back of her mind that Tobey wasn't there as usual, but she hadn't thought anything of it until he arrived late, sitting hurriedly down next to her. Glancing over to his empty usual spot, she was about to ask why he wasn't sitting down where he normally did. Did he really not want to walk in front of everyone?

As Granny May talked about some summer luncheon and the upcoming annual Villain Convention, she looked down at the papers he was holding. Unsurprisingly, they were covered in pictures of robots. He tilted them up quickly so they were facing inwards when he noticed her wandering eyes. Giving her a glare, he turned away from her, and once Granny May was done speaking, he stood up and rushed to his "own" seat.

She sighed. Maybe he really had wanted to avoid interrupting.

At the snack table, she wasn't too surprised to see him "casually" approach her.

"So, why were you late today?" she asked before he could open his mouth. Way to divert, Becky.

"Chess Club is a nice excuse for your mother when you're going to Villain Society meetings… except when the captain stops you to ask why you haven't been to any meetings, which aren't even  _on_ Thursdays."

Becky laughed and grabbed a handful of chips. "Nice. So, are you kicked out of the club?"

He shook his head. "Since I'm a fairly well-known villain, I didn't bother lying to her about what I was up to. Besides being a little miffed that I  _never_ attended any of the actual meetings, she didn't have a problem with it, and we agreed that it would be pointless to eject me with fewer than four weeks left in the school year. Especially considering there aren't any meetings on the last week of school. She  _did_ make me promise to come to next week's meeting on Wednesday, though…"

"Sounds like you've got a pretty busy schedule until summer."

"Between Villain Society, regular villainy, and school, yes."

Becky tried not to groan. His plans were always elaborate and involved her, personally, more than she was entirely comfortable with. At least the others just stole things. 

And then he continued. "So, what about you? I don't think you've committed  _any_ crimes yet. I wonder what the reason for that is…?"

"Uh… well, I've kinda been planning something… and technically, I  _have_  done a crime."

"Wait, what?" He looked genuinely taken aback.

"Yes! I… uh…" She looked down. She knew he'd laugh. "…stoleaboxofSnappySnaps."

He put on a tone of mock horror. "Why, Becky Botsford, a common  _thief_? I'm so disappointed!"

"You're one to talk, Mr. I Break Buildings For Fun. And I said I'm working on something better!"

"Mm-hmm." He didn't seem to believe her. She could practically hear him wondering when she'd give up the charade.

* * *

Becky was snapped out of her reverie by Bob shrieking and waving his hand in front of her face. Oh dear, she'd engaged a full-on flashback sequence. It had been long enough for him to move from the living room to the kitchen table.

"Uh… sorry about that, Bob, I was thinking about something that happened earlier."

He squeaked expectantly.

"I'll explain later," she said, glancing at TJ on the couch.

She tried to ignore the sense of dread she suddenly felt, like the feeling of having a parent mention an upcoming dentist appointment that had been scheduled for a month. She had known this moment would be coming, but she'd managed to put it out of her mind until just now, when it was imminent.

It was a lot harder to get back to her homework.

* * *

When she finished, she went to her room to put it away. Bob was waiting on the bed.

_No time like the present_ , she thought ruefully.

"Okay, so…" she began. Her stomach was quivering. "I've got something I've been meaning to tell you… well, I think it'd be more accurate to say there's something I've known you'd find out about eventually, and I decided I'd rather be the one to tell you than to have you catch me concealing it."

He sat up a little straighter. She wonder if he could tell how nervous she was.

"See… I kind of… accidentally… joined the Villain Society."

He squeaked indignantly, and she couldn't help but agree. How  _did_ one "accidentally" do that?

"Well, okay, it wasn't exactly an accident. See, Tobey was grilling me, and I had to explain why I have a copy of the rulebook, and… look, I was backed into a corner, okay? You know how relentless he can be! You know, determined," she added, seeing his confused look. Sometimes it was troublesome having to explain words in English without just translating into Lexiconian, which Huggy spoke fluently. But she had a cover to maintain, and besides, it was more helpful for Huggy to get accustomed to the language on this planet.

Huggy shook his head, sighing.

"Look, I'm not saying it was a good decision either, but I had to think fast. And then after that I was just… under pressure to actually attend, because I just  _know_ that he'd be about eighty times more suspicious if I bailed before the first meeting."

Huggy opened his mouth, but just then they both heard Mrs. Botsford calling.

"Becky! Bob! TJ! It's dinnertime! Oh, TJ, did you really have to go and eat all that ice cream?"

Becky sighed and stood up, and Bob slid off the bed. He gave her a  _we're not done here Missy_ look, and she laughed, giving him a hug.

"You know, even though I know I'm in a pickle, I'm glad I don't have to hide this from you now. We'll be able to work our way out of this, I just know it!"


	6. Dinner and Consequences

Becky chewed apprehensively on a forkful of what was probably meat – she was too nervous to focus on its flavor, and its original texture had long since been reduced to mush. Though she looked up whenever someone said her name, and did her best to distantly participate in the conversation whenever a question was asked, she was far too preoccupied with her own thoughts to really pay attention to what her family was talking about.

_I've got to tell them… but how? How should I start?_

She toyed with the contents of her plate, swallowed the mouthful she'd been holding for more than a minute, and speared a chunk of potato into her mouth.

_What if I started out by telling them I was interested in becoming a villain?_

She almost immediately shot it down, even before the possibilities had the time to fully unfold in her mind. Her parents being incredulous, then concerned, then suspicious… yes, she definitely wouldn't tell them about the villainy first. There was no  _way_ she'd ever be able to convince them to let her even keep up the cover.

That left only one option, though. She could already see the scene play out:

 

> "Mom, Dad… I'm WordGirl. For the past two years, Bob and I have been diligently doing our best to push against crime in the city. And I'd like to say we've done a pretty good jo–"
> 
> "Oh, Becky," her dad would say, "haven't you already said something like this? You don't need to make up funny stories, you know."
> 
> "But Dad…!"

She'd probably have to spend a good amount of time, including a few demonstrations, to convince them. Maybe she'd even fly around the house. That might be fun. She felt a small glimmer of hope… this might not turn out so bad.

They might even let her keep pretending to be a villain!

Not really believing the thoughts she repeated to herself, she finished her meal in considerably higher spirits than she'd started them. Bob surely noticed her change in demeanor and raised his eyebrows at her.

"I've got it under control," she whispered to him when the others all seemed to be distracted. He squeaked back nervously.

"I appreciate your concern, Bob, but you don't have to worry!"

And then she sat up, scraping the last few remnants of food on her plate into a small pile to delicately pop into her mouth.

Seeing everyone wrap up their own meals, she spoke up.

"Hey, can I clear your plates?" she said eagerly, getting to her feet and gathering her utensils and water glass together.

"Of course!" said her dad with a laugh.

Becky quickly cleared away the plates, and stayed at the table until TJ left the room. She gave Bob a Look, and the monkey followed her brother out of the kitchen with an annoyed squeak.

Becky's parents had remained in the kitchen, smiling to each other.

"So, Becky, do you want to butter us up some more, or just tell us what's on your mind?"

Becky deflated slightly. Oh. She hadn't been planning on  _them_ springing the whole "serious discussion" thing on her. She smiled nervously and coughed.

"Uh, yeah, actually, I can just… skip to the important part, I guess…"

She cleared her throat, nervously shifting her weight around.

"Mom, Dad, I'm… Wor… I'm Wor…"

"Yes, dear?"

And then, just like the countless times before, her resolve failed.

"I'm… well, I've got a history final coming up, and we need to know all the US presidents in order, and I've never been good at remembering them, but… um… you have that song you like to sing on car trips, so could you maybe… teach it to me?"

She looked up at her dad, who chuckled paternally.

"Oh, Becky, is that really it? Of  _course_ I'll teach you the song!"

Becky's mom smiled and hugged Becky.

"Dear, you don't need to be so  _worried_ about asking us for help with school! After all, you're getting closer to the point where we won't be much help with school at all, so you might as well make use of our help now."

"Ha ha… yeah, thanks Mom," said Becky, looking down at the ground.

* * *

It was nearly an hour later when Becky returned dejectedly to her room, the US Presidents song stuck in her head.

"Hey Bob," she said quietly.

He'd been sleeping, and she saw him stir in his monkey bed.

"Oh, don't get up, we can talk in the morning."

He squeaked tiredly and went back to sleep.

Becky sighed and got into bed. She felt incredibly tired, but she didn't think she was going to be able to sleep.

Why hadn't she just  _told_ them? All these years of wavering between wanting to keep her secret and wanting to let the people close to her know, and she still hadn't improved at either keeping it a secret or working up the courage to straight-up tell someone.

She was more disappointed, though, that she hadn't come clean to them about the villainy. There were legitimate reasons to hide her superhero persona, of course, but she still felt incredibly guilty about the Snappy Snaps. Maybe she'd ask Granny May at the next meeting.

* * *

The next day, Becky artfully avoided any conversations with Huggy, even going as far as to seek out a conversation with TJ. Knocking on his door, she pushed it open and sat quickly on his bottom bunk.

"Hey, TJ," she said as casually as she could. He turned his chair around to face her, a confused look on his face.

"Uh… hi, Becky. What do you want?"

"Do you still make comics and stories about WordGirl?"

He looked down at the floor, then turned around again and faced his desk.

"Not really, but… I do still have my old ones. Why?"

"Wanna come up with some stuff together?"

"… Why are you so interested in WordGirl all of a sudden?"

"Aww, come on, TJ, you  _know_ I've been into WordGirl just as long as you have!"

"Then why were you always so skeptical of like all her cool merchandise?"

"Because most of that 'merchandise' was fraudulent! I mean, that doll you still have on your dresser was made by Mr. Big!"

TJ glanced at the doll, then sighed and pulled out his drawing pad and pencils.

"OK, well, what kind of story do you want to write? Like, what villain?"

"How about… a new villain?"

"Uhh… okay, what kind of abilities do they have?"

"Let's say… they're a regular person, but are good with words."

"Hmm… okay…"

"Where should they start out? Like, crime-wise. They know they want to cause trouble, but they don't have any specific goals."

"Well, the jewelry store's always a good bet…"

Becky thought of Reginald and his store, and of how many times she'd  _kept_ the jewels from being stolen. Despite the pang of guilt, she found herself already mentally plotting ways to get away with an armful of baubles.

"Yeah, yeah…" she said hastily, trying to curtail this train of thought.

"Do you think they'd try to get away with it sneakily, or make a big show?"

"It depends. If they're  _just_ starting out, they'll want to make a name for themselves, but getting caught before they even get out of the shop is a great way to get ranked with Rope Guy."

Becky snorted.

"So, what if they stole something valuable, something that would be easily noticed when it was gone, but did it sneakily enough that Reginald wouldn't realize until well after they were gone?"

"Yeah, exactly! That'd give them time to get back to their lair before WordGirl even showed up, not to mention a big, exciting mystery. It might be a little ambitious, though… hmm, maybe they'd be better off robbing the grocery store cash register…"

"No!" said Becky hastily. "I mean… if they're going to actually  _rob_ something, wouldn't they rob the bank, or something? If they're good with words, they might even be able to convince the person in charge to just… hand stuff over."

TJ thought for a few moments.

"That  _could_ work… but then I think Granny May would feel they're ripping her off, especially if they started using themed weapons like hers. Unless they're secretly one of her many grandkids, nieces, and nephews?"

 She hadn't even considered that.

"Hmm, that's true…"

The two exchanged potential crimes for this hypothetical villain, and it was so much fun Becky nearly forgot that she was filing these ideas away for actual use.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow, that was quite the delay! I hope to get in another chapter before the end of the week, though  
> sorry if the ending seems disjointed I'm really tired

**Author's Note:**

> if something in any chapter of any of my works bothers you, let me know and I'll edit in the warning! I want to be considerate of everyone. :)


End file.
